Washington. Products used to straighten hair raise the risk of uterine cancer, according to a new study released yesterday.
The findings, published in the Journal, from the National Cancer Institute, are especially relevant to black women, who make up the majority of users of straightening products in the United States.
The scientists praised the study and called for further research to confirm the findings.
Women who use these products frequently, more than four times in a year, are twice as likely to develop cancer of the uterus, mainly of the endometrium, which should not be confused with cancer of the cervix.
Similar associations were not found in other products, such as hair dyes, bleaches, highlights or permanents.
“We estimate that 1.64 percent of women who have never used a hair-straightening product will have developed uterine cancer by age 70, but for frequent users this risk increases to 4.05 percent,” said author Alexandra White in a statement. main of the study.
“The doubling of this rate is worrying,” he added.
Cancer of the uterus accounts for about 3 percent of new cancer cases in the United States, but it is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. The prognosis is usually good if caught early, but treatment often involves removal of the uterus, which would make it impossible to have children.
The study is based on data from nearly 33,500 Americans followed for nearly 11 years.
Because black women use hair straightening products more often and tend to start younger, “these results could be particularly interesting for them,” said study co-author Che-Jung Chang.
About 60 percent of women who said they had used hair-straightening products in the past year identified themselves as black.
They have chemicals that act like estrogens
“What’s concerning is that there are chemicals in these products that essentially act like estrogen in the body,” disrupting normal hormonal processes, and this could influence cancer risk, he explained.
A second possibility is that some products include carcinogens, such as formaldehyde, to break the bonds between the keratin proteins in the hair, changing its structure and straightening it.
Although the women were not specifically asked what products they used, a keratin treatment known as “Brazilian straightening” was popular when women were enrolled in this study between 2003 and 2009, although its use has since declined.
The experts did not gather information on specific goods and brands, but note that several chemicals in these products could contribute to increased cancer risk.
In addition to formaldehyde, which is usually known as formalin, they cite parabens, bisphenol A and metals.
Compared to other goods, hair-straightening products may promote the absorption of chemicals through injuries or burns to the scalp, or through the use of straightening irons whose heat breaks down chemicals, the study says.
Other work has already determined a link between straighteners and an increased risk of breast cancer.
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